Critics say Harper Lee modeled the character Scout after herself.
She was born in Monroeville, Alabama in 1926
Her father was a small-town lawyer just like Atticus
Character Traits of the Protagonist and Antagonist
Protagonist (Scout)
Scout is a girl who likes to dress like a boy. She is six years old at the beginning of the story. She is the daughter of Atticus Finch. She does not like to act like a girl. When her brother, Jem, and their friend, Dill, call her a girl she becomes very upset. She loves to read even when her teacher tells her to stop learning to read at home. Jem and Dill tell her to act like a boy if she wants to hang out with them. Calpurnia, the maid, tells her to act more like a lady.
Antagonist (Boo Radley)
Boo stabbed his father with a scissors. He is about six-and-a-half feet tall.He ate raw squirrels and any cats he could catch. This caused Boo's hands to be bloodstained. Boo had a long jagged scar that went across his face. His teeth were yellow and rotten, his eyes popped out, and he drooled. People say that Boo is dead but others think that he is still alive. They think that his house is haunted.
Chapters 1-10 Summary In the story the characters are Scout, Jem, Dill, Atticus, Boo, Ms. Caroline, Mr. Radley, Mrs. Radley, Charlie Radley, Calpurnia, Ms. Maudie, Walter Cunningham. At the beginning at the story Scout explains the Radleys and how the stories and superstitions about them occured. After that Scout begins her first year of school. She gets on her teacher's, Ms. Caroline, bad side. Her teacher tells her to stop learning to read at home but secretly she continues to read with Atticus at home. Scout begins to find items in a tree near the Radley house. She shows Jem but they don't know where the stuff came from. The school year passes and summer comes again. Dill comes back for the summer. This summer Dill and Jem play games that Scout doesn't like to play. The boys decide to try and sneak a note to Boo but they are unsuccessful when Atticus catches them. So they then decide to sneak up to the Radley's house. There is then a gun shot. The kids run but Jem gets his pants hooked on the fence. The second year of school starts for Scout and that year it snows. Jem and Scout make a snow man. That night Scout is woken up by Atticus to find that Ms. Maudie's house is on fire. There are firetrucks for 3 different fire stations there to help put out the blaze. The neighbors help to get as much furniture out of the house as possible.
The bubble gum in the tree
Ms. Maudie's House
Scout playing in the tire
The Radley's House
Symbolism
The character of Calpurnia symbolizes the effects racism in the south.
Boo Radley represents superstition.
Scout represents the childhood experience.
Jem represents coming of age.
Conflicts
Person vs. Society between Scout and the community. People in the community want Scout to act more ladylike.
Person vs. Person between Scout and Jem. Jem is growing up but Scout is still childish. Jem and Scout argue about activities they want to do and how they spend their days.
Person vs. Self between Scout. She struggles with deciding whether she should follow the prejudice of the community or make decisions for herself.
Person vs. Fate with Tom Robinson. Tom Robinsons fate at the time would be guilty because he is black but he is fighting the fate by having a lawyer who is willing to fight for his freedom.
Society vs. Society between the whites and the blacks. Blacks are prejudice against what the whites have and the whites are prejudiced and think that blacks shouldn't have certain freedoms.
What element makes it a good book?
The suspense caused by the foreshadowing makes this a good book. The author does a good job showing the childhood experience. What would make the book better?
It would be a better book if they made Aunt Alexandra a more dynamic character. The first chapter could be omitted because it dragged on. We wish they would have mentioned Boo Radley more in the middle of the book.
What is one of the most important things the author wants you to know?
The author wants you to realize that racial discrimination isn't a good thing and that we need to help people facing discrimination even if our reputations could be effected.
What does the audience need to know to understand the book?
The reader must understand the culture of the south and how blacks were treated. What is your overall recommendation? Why?
We would recommend this book because it is a very entertaining coming of age story. It shows how the culture in the south from the point of view of a child.
Harper Lee
Character Traits of the Protagonist and Antagonist
Protagonist (Scout)
Antagonist (Boo Radley)
Chapters 1-10 Summary
In the story the characters are Scout, Jem, Dill, Atticus, Boo, Ms. Caroline, Mr. Radley, Mrs. Radley, Charlie Radley, Calpurnia, Ms. Maudie, Walter Cunningham. At the beginning at the story Scout explains the Radleys and how the stories and superstitions about them occured. After that Scout begins her first year of school. She gets on her teacher's, Ms. Caroline, bad side. Her teacher tells her to stop learning to read at home but secretly she continues to read with Atticus at home. Scout begins to find items in a tree near the Radley house. She shows Jem but they don't know where the stuff came from. The school year passes and summer comes again. Dill comes back for the summer. This summer Dill and Jem play games that Scout doesn't like to play. The boys decide to try and sneak a note to Boo but they are unsuccessful when Atticus catches them. So they then decide to sneak up to the Radley's house. There is then a gun shot. The kids run but Jem gets his pants hooked on the fence. The second year of school starts for Scout and that year it snows. Jem and Scout make a snow man. That night Scout is woken up by Atticus to find that Ms. Maudie's house is on fire. There are firetrucks for 3 different fire stations there to help put out the blaze. The neighbors help to get as much furniture out of the house as possible.
Symbolism
Conflicts
What element makes it a good book?
The suspense caused by the foreshadowing makes this a good book. The author does a good job showing the childhood experience.
What would make the book better?
It would be a better book if they made Aunt Alexandra a more dynamic character. The first chapter could be omitted because it dragged on. We wish they would have mentioned Boo Radley more in the middle of the book.
What is one of the most important things the author wants you to know?
The author wants you to realize that racial discrimination isn't a good thing and that we need to help people facing discrimination even if our reputations could be effected.
What does the audience need to know to understand the book?
The reader must understand the culture of the south and how blacks were treated.
What is your overall recommendation? Why?
We would recommend this book because it is a very entertaining coming of age story. It shows how the culture in the south from the point of view of a child.